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At The Strategist, we’ve spent a lot of time searching for adult backpacks (though some of us feel strongly that they are never, ever okay). That has led us to the best travel backpacks, laptop backpacks, and even backpacks with wheels — but the world of practical yet stylish work backpacks is a different beast.
The work backpack should be sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of everyday use but elevated enough to say, “I am a professional, and this is how I want colleagues to see me.”
Finding a backpack that holds everything you need to make it through a day at the office (or running from meeting to meeting) that won’t make your boss do a double take is more art than science. So to find the best options out there, at a range of price points, I asked stylish professionals which backpacks they rely on to be office appropriate but that look good enough to carry in their off time too.
Best under $100
Consider this the ideal work backpack for the person who doesn’t really want to be carrying a work backpack. That was the appeal for senior director at the David Zwirner gallery Thor Shannon, who loves that this bag is “anonymous and unprecious” with no visible logos. When we talked to Shannon for our guide to the best work bags for men, he told us that he settled on an older version of the backpack, which can hold his laptop and “every charger known to man.”
Writer Molly Dektar went down a rabbit hole for us in order to figure out why every stylish person she knew in the art world was carrying this specific Patagonia backpack to work. The answer? It’s “a really good bag,” she wrote. “It can be carried as either a tote or a backpack, depending on the situation, and it folds into its own internal pocket, for easy storage. Though it is crafted of black ripstop, it does not scream, ‘I hike!’ Though it has a large number of pockets and adjustable straps, it does not scream, ‘I code!’”
Jules Bakshi, the founder of Brooklyn dance and mindful-fitness studio Good Move, says she is almost always carrying this mini-pack from Colorado-based Topo Designs. The compact size makes it practical for everyday journeys, but it also fits all of her work gear, including “a water bottle, snacks, first aid, and a light extra layer,” she says. “And it’s cute, too.”
Editor’s Note: Bakshi’s backpack color is out of stock, but Topo Designs has plenty of other good-looking options to choose from.
When musician Sharon Van Etten told The Strategist about her favorite things, she included this Béis backpack that replaced her old Jansport. “It’s smaller than my Jansport, so I don’t feel like a freshman college student hitting everyone in the head,” she says, adding that it’s still very roomy. Its main compartment can accommodate notebooks and headphones, there’s a back pocket for a laptop, and its two exterior pockets can hold water bottles or, after work, “a couple of beers or a wine bottle,” she says.
Although he did not purchase this Cotopaxi bag for work, science teacher and running enthusiast Joey Anderson finds its lightweight and cheerful colors perfect for carrying in and out of the classroom. He got the bag for a summer trip to London to fit his belongings while he ran eight miles from Clapham to Hampstead Heath’s mixed swimming ponds. But he found that afterward, it “doesn’t look lame walking around the city.” It looks just as good in his classroom this school year, despite the fact that his students rag him about the bold blue and yellow. “It’s always good to have a talking point,” Anderson says.
Dustin Sposato, the deputy managing director at data-focused nonprofit Project Evident, says he was very happy with his Everlane backpack for a few years, but it eventually started to break down. When it did, he wanted to get something a little different — and ideally more durable. Sposato ultimately landed on this Cordura Backpack from L.L.Bean. “I grew up in Maine and always had L.L.Bean backpacks as a kid, so it felt like a natural pick,” he says. “They’re super-functional and last forever. My mom still uses one I had in elementary school. This one felt ‘adult’ without being overly sleek.”
The chef Eric Ripert told us in his “What I Can’t Live Without” about the Rains backpack he has on his person at all times. “I walk every day from my house to Le Bernardin, and I go back from Le Bernardin to my house, through Central Park or on the streets, rain or shine — and I have this knapsack on me always,” he said. “In the small front pocket, I put my keys, my headset, my glasses, some tissues, whatever. And the bigger one I put files in or have room if I buy something. I like that there’s no label whatsoever.”
Meta-content specialist Pia Velasco calls this her Mary Poppins bag. “It holds so much,” she says. “This is what I love the most about it. It fits my laptop, two bottles of wine, all my chargers, makeup bag, a change of clothes, my wallet, and any other shenanigans I may have with me.” It’s technically a diaper bag, but you’d never know. “The black vegan leather makes it a little edgier and cooler than your typical backpack,” Velasco says. “It feels more New York than middle-school hallway,” she adds, which was important when she was working in beauty and “constantly jumping around the city and meeting with a ton of beautiful, well-dressed people … I feel totally comfortable taking it with me everywhere.”
Content strategist Libby Bartley recommends her backpack, another vegan-leather option, from Matt & Nat. She likes that it’s “ethically made and manufactured with sustainable resources” and also “features adjustable straps, expandable gussets, and pockets for laptops and smartphones.” “Not only is the bag multifunctional for work and play,” she says, “it’s a long-lasting investment.”
Best under $200
As a working mom, Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo needed a bag she could use in the office, while running errands, and for baby outings. She tested three other options before landing on the LeSportsSac Double Trouble backpack, which quickly became her favorite thanks to its simple and ergonomic design: “The wide, woven nylon straps hug my shoulders gently as they evenly distribute the weight of whatever I am carrying,” Corsillo says. She calls the bag “Prada-adjacent” and notes that when she’s tired of wearing it as a backpack, she can transform it into a tote because of its double-handled design.
Editor’s Note: Corsillo’s all-black style is currently out of stock, but you can sign up to be notified when it’s available or check out the available exciting color options in the meantime.
Comedian and writer Hasan Minhaj named this backpack one of the items he can’t live without, and he wasn’t exaggerating. Minhaj has been wearing this nondescript number since 2008 (“when I still had a day job,” he says). Though he has considered upgrading, he always returns to his Incase because it has the perfect amount of compartments to prevent his belongings from running loose in his bag. “I’m going to keep using this until the bottom rips apart and I literally can’t use it anymore,” he says.
There’s also this nondescript option from Rains that’ll fit a MacBook Pro along with a couple of notebooks. Gonzalo Donoso, a designer at Mother Design, likes that the construction is very sleek: “It looks expensive even though it’s fairly affordable,” he says. The bag has a hidden pocket close to the straps, so you won’t have to fully open the bag to grab smaller items.
If you’d prefer a more robust backpack from Rains, upgrade to this style, which includes a water-bottle holder, loads of pockets, and exterior elastic strapping that’s ideal for holding a bike helmet. Jaye Thompson, a creative at Mother New York, has been using it for two years and says, “Its design features have function and utility without being distracting. And I have the all-black one, which blends in quite nicely.” Best of all, the bag keeps anything inside of it bone-dry during downpours. (We would expect nothing less from the maker of our favorite men’s raincoat.)
“This bag is like the cotton tote of backpacks,” says Lee Glandorf, a brand strategist. The minimal exterior is made from a durable waxed canvas, and the interior is smartly divided up with a padded laptop sleeve, a spacious main compartment, and a floating top-accessed pocket that’s the perfect size for keys, a wallet, sunglasses, or other smaller items. It also works as a stealth carry-on. “It doesn’t scream ‘traveler’ when I am heading to and from the office on a trip,” says Glandorf.
Style influencer Bethany Everett-Ratcliffe recommends this vegan-leather backpack. She likes that it’s “sleek, stylish, and structured” but also super-functional. It has a separate zippered back compartment to keep your laptop secure, a luggage sleeve, as well as several zippered pouches inside the main compartments that help keep the rest of your belongings organized. It comes in work-appropriate black, white, and brown, but if your company is a little more relaxed, it’s available in yellow and purple too.
Sube Zia, the manager of Ambassador Luggage in Manhattan, says this Briggs & Riley backpack is “subtly good looking” and appealing to those who prefer a style that’s more business casual than utilitarian. The “ultralightweight” bag comes with useful pockets for holding a laptop, headphones, notebooks, and other daily necessities. Plus its outer is made with a micro-weave nylon fabric that’s durable and water resistant.
A good work backpack can accompany its wearer all day — not only to the office but also to the gym and happy hour. Life sciences consultant Jonah Robison swears by this Aer Duffel Pack, which features an antimicrobial lining and separate shoe pocket to keep sweaty gym clothes isolated from his packed lunch, clean clothes, and other work gear. The laptop compartment in particular is “extremely well padded, with a separate tablet sleeve and water-resistant zippers to keep tech gear protected.” It’s worth pointing out that with a 21-liter volume, “it is not a small bag,” Robison says, but it more than pulls its own weight. “Other bags seem to be too small to use for work and the gym or so big you feel as though you’re calling attention to yourself. I’ve also used other bags that have too many organizational tools, which just lead to increased weight and to you storing way more than you need.”
Best under $300
Former Strategist writer Chloe Anello has the large version of the Dagne Dover backpack and says it was great for her long, two-hour commute from Beacon to downtown New York. “That backpack was my favorite for lugging stuff back and forth,” she says. She also owns the medium size but says the large is the way to go if you are transporting a lot. In addition to her laptop, “it fits a water bottle, a lunch, my over-the-ear headphones, snacks, my wallet, and my keys,” she says. “Literally everything imaginable.”
“This bag can hold everything,” says Kevin Murray, an operations manager at REI. Peak Design originated in the photography world, so the interior of this cavernous yet portable 30-liter bag is outfitted with padding, pockets, and interior structure to keep all your gear secure. “For days when I need to bring my office with me, a full change of clothes, extra snacks, so forth, this is the bag,” Murray says. He likes how it has both top- and side-entry options, keeping even the fullest loads easily accessible, as well as built-in external straps that can be stowed away when not in use. “It keeps the same clean look whether it is stuffed full or almost empty,” he says.
“I live in Los Angeles and am starting a hotel company based in the Great Smoky Mountains,” says Ryan Abraham, a hospitality entrepreneur who needs his backpack to work in both settings. The Scandinavian vibe of this Sandqvist number —with its roll-top main compartment and easily accessible side-zippered laptop sleeve — feels right for the city and the wilderness. It’s also water resistant, made from 100 percent recycled polyester, and comes in plenty of color variations.
Photographer Alice Gao likes her Lo & Sons backpack for work and travel. It’s not super-fashionable, but your boss won’t call you in to talk about the “office dress code” either, she says, and it’s large enough to fit all her photo gear and a laptop. On a business trip, it will also easily attach to your carry-on thanks to the back sleeve that slides onto the handle.
Best over $300
We first heard about this rather handsome leather backpack from Vanderpump Rules’s James Kennedy. He told us that he uses it while traveling but that it’s also good for the office thanks to its stylish look and spacious interior. “I can throw all of my DJ equipment in here for a one-night gig: my laptop, headphones, wires, USB chips. And I can also fit in a spare T-shirt and even a wash bag,” Kennedy says.
If you’re looking for a rugged-yet-work-appropriate backpack, this option is ideal (although a bit of a splurge). The bag is beloved by choreographer Justin Peck and Substack video and podcast lead Austin Tedesco alike. “Shopping for men’s work bags can be tough because most of them lean too far into tech-dork efficiency, wilderness cosplay, or impracticality,” Tedesco says. With its slightly weathered look, a Filson backpack offers “the rare good middle ground” and has plenty of pockets for storing your computer and the rest of your necessities.
Architect turned tech entrepreneur Lori Cheek says people compliment her on this backpack “on an almost daily basis.” She loves the look of the gold detailing and relies on the expansive storage space because, as she puts it, “my office is literally in my backpack and I’m always working ‘on the go.’” One of Cheek’s favorite features is the separate zipped compartment that fits her 15-inch MacBook Pro “perfectly,” but she adds that it also “fits everything else I need to successfully run my business and live out my bag from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., five days a week!”
Caleb Thill, a New York City–based content creator, swears by his black leather backpack from Montreal-based brand Want Les Essentials because it’s “definitely work and business appropriate while having a bit of edge.” At almost $700, the elegant and minimalist bag is expensive, but its sleek aesthetic makes it worth considering if you’re willing to splurge. Or, for a very similar look at a price that’s closer to $500, this same backpack comes in a canvas style with black leather trim.
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